Utility Vans
There are at least 3 types of Utility Vans seen in the Railway Series and television series. They are also simply known as vans or trucks in the UK narration or cars in the US narration. General Utility Vans |last_appearance=*Really Useful Engines |creator(s)=Christopher Awdry |country_of_origin =* Island of Sodor * England |basis=General utility vans (GUV) |gauge= |vehicle=Rolling stock |type=General utility vans |wheels=8 |railway=North Western Railway }}These type of utility vans are primarily used for transporting letters and parcels throughout the railway. Biography ''The Railway Series These vans are a frequent sight on the Ffarquhar Branch Line and are usually pulled by Percy. Tom Tipper, the postman, used to helped load and unload letters and parcels into the vans at FfarquharThe Railway Series: Really Useful Engines "Mind That Bike". Technical Details Basis These vans are based on general utility vans (GUV), however their specific basis is unknown. File:Generalutilityvan.jpg|A real general utility van Livery These vans are painted light brown. Appearances Railway Series= Merchandise * Hornby (''discontinued) SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV (4 wheels) |last_appearance=Busy Going Backwards |creator(s)= *David Mitton *Britt Allcroft |country_of_origin =* Island of Sodor * England |basis=SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV |gauge= |vehicle=Rolling stock |type=General utility vans |designer(s)=Richard Maunsell |builder(s)=SR Ashford, Eastleigh, Brighton or Nine Elms Works |year_built=sometime between 1919 and 1951 |wheels=4 |railway=North Western Railway }}These vans are a type of rolling stock used for transporting goods and merchandise throughout various railways. They have 4 four wheels. These vans were slowly phased out by the fifth season and replaced with bogie variants, as they ran easier on tighter turns. Biography ''Thomas & Friends A utility van was used for carrying passenger's luggage, which was a part of Henry's express.Season 1 "Thomas and Gordon". They have often been used for the Flying Kipper with other types of vans and have been involved in many accidents while part of the train. Such as derailing into a stationary goods trainSeason 1 "The Flying Kipper (episode)" and being completely submerged underwater after travelling on a line eroded by high tidesSeason 5 "Something in the Air". Henry once used these vans to transport letters and parcels from the Mainland to Percy's Post TrainSeason 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". Personality In the first season, these vans were sentient despite not having visible faces. Technical Details Basis The utility vans are based on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Diagram 960 Parcels and Miscellaneous Vans (PMV), introduced in 1919. This van was designated the standard for the Southern Railway, and remained in production, updated as the Diagram 3103, until 1951, remaining in regular service until 1986, with a few surviving on departmental duties into the 1990s. These vans were used primarily for the transportation of letters and parcels. UtilityWagonsbasis.jpg|An LNER 12 Ton Covered Van in real life Livery These vans were orginally painted dark brown with light brown vents. They were repainted a faded black in Season 3. File:UtilityVansModel1.png|A dark brown van UtilityVanFace.png|A black van with a face Appearances Television Series= Thomas & Friends Specials Music Videos |-|Other Media= Books Trivia * Only one model of this type of van existed. It was constructed out of a Tenmille kit. * Though they are usually faceless, a utility van with a Troublesome Truck face was once briefly seen in the third season episode Oliver Owns Up, although the face was crooked. Merchandise * TrackMaster * Wooden Railway (''4 wheels, as Baggage Cars) SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV (bogie wheels) |creator(s)= *David Mitton *Britt Allcroft |country_of_origin =* Island of Sodor * England |basis=SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV |gauge= |vehicle=Rolling stock |type=General utility vans |designer(s)=Richard Maunsell |builder(s)=SR Ashford, Eastleigh, Brighton or Nine Elms Works |year_built=sometime between 1919 and 1951 |wheels=8 |railway=North Western Railway }}These vans are a common type of rolling stock used for transporting goods and merchandise throughout various railways. These vans replaced the 4 variants, as their bogies allowed them to run easier on tighter turns. The Mail Train and the Flying Kipper primarily consists of these type of vans. Biography ''Thomas & Friends One of these vans was part of Thomas' long goods train. The trucks grew cross with Thomas and pushed him down Gordon's HillSeason 1 "Thomas and the Trucks". Henry once used one of these vans to transport letters and parcels from the Mainland to Percy's Post Train. Season 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". One of these vans help form part of the Circus Train. James was given the honour of pulling train, much to the dismay of Gordon and HenrySeason 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". Percy used one of these vans to carry Flynn's special hose. Den and Dart offered to deliver the van but dumped the hose in the garage instead as ordered by Diesel 10Season 3 "Thomas, Percy and the Post Train". Technical Details Basis The utility vans are based on the South Eastern & Chatham Railway Diagram 960 Parcels and Miscellaneous Vans (PMV) with added bogies. The mail vans share the same basis. UtilityWagonsbasis.jpg|A 4-wheel SE&CR Diagram 960 PMV Livery These vans are painted dark brown, cream, dark grey, and blue. File:UtilityVansModel2.png|A dark brown van File:UtilityVansCGI1.png|A dark grey van File:UtilityVansCGI.png|A cream van with red stripes File:UtilityVansCGI2.png|A light blue van with white stripes File:UtilityVansCGI3.png|A brown van There have also been vans with special liveries depicted with logos for various businesses and companies. File:UtilityVansModel3.png|A "Topham Circus" van File:MainMailVansCGI.png|The Mail Vans Appearances Television Series= Thomas & Friends Specials Music Videos |-|Other Media= Books Trivia * In CGI series, the amount of vents on the front and back of utility vans were reduced. * From the third to fifth season, the mail vans were made out of Tenmille gauge 1 Utility van kits. From Thomas and the Magic Railroad onwards, they were scratch built. This explains why their appearance have been altered from the original utility vans they were based on. Merchandise * TrackMaster * Hornby (''discontinued) * Bachmann (green, live lobster refrigerator versions) * Capsule Plarail (ice cream vans) * Wooden Railway (4 wheels, as Baggage Cars) References Category:North Western Railway Category:Other railways Category:Trucks Category:Thomas & Friends characters Category:Rolling stock Category:Standard gauge Category:The Railway Series characters Category:The Mainland